A large number of assaults and robberies have taken place lately in the area north of campus. Many Washington University students reside in off-campus housing in this area of University City, and several have been targeted by attacks already this semester. Students are being advised not to walk home alone, rape whistles are being snapped up and many students are afraid that they could be the next victim.
Several ideas come to mind to help combat this problem. More aggressive patrolling by either the WUPD or the University City police would certainly help. The addition of better lighting might also help combat the incidence of attacks on the darkened streets around apartments north of campus. Further, the University might also want to consider installing more blue light phones in the residential area between the University Drive apartments and Delmar Boulevard, as those areas are largely inhabited by students, professors and other University community members, even if the University doesn’t directly administrate or own all of those properties.
Certainly, students should be aware of our proximity to St. Louis city and limit the amount of time spent walking around alone in the dark. We’re certainly not invulnerable, even if our iPod earbuds insulate us from o ur surroundings. But what about those students who take night classes, or who have to come from off campus to work on art or architecture projects?
To protect those students, the University should open up on-campus parking to any student after dark so that driving is a more feasible option. This would have two immediate benefits. First, students would be able to park on campus, rather than on dark side streets nearby. Second, overnight visitors to campus would be able to park without experiencing the hassle of buying a temporary parking pass and trying to find an area to park in where that pass is valid
The University certainly cannot be expected to babysit its students, and we’re not asking it to do so. But one of the attractions of the University, as advertised in the initial campus tour, is the safety of the campus. Why not bring this safety to students and other residents of the area immediately surrounding campus?